Howard J. Rogers wrote:
> Daniel's low-flying one dimensional birds has got me thinking about how
> useful SQL can get.
>
> Suppose a table that contains just words up to, say, 8 characters in length,
> minimum length 4. The words could be anything, but let's just suppose they
> are composer's name. Hence "BACH" is acceptable, "BRITTEN" is almost
> perfect, and "STRAVINSKY" is bloody awful and not allowed.
>
> OK. Here's the challenge. What would the SQL look like to select these words
> at random from the table, and display them randomly packed with other
> letters, in a 15 x 15 word grid, with the original words being read from
> left OR right (you know, like in one of those word square games?). One word
> per line, but not every line should have a word (such lines to have all 15
> characters displayed merely at random, therefore).
>
> Something like (without doing the entire 15 x 15 thing!!):
>
> XFEPBACHUILEEWB
> BACLNETTIRBORFG
> etc etc
>
> Even harder challenge, I think: what would the SQL look like that allows the
> randomly selected words to be read left, right *and up and down* within the
> 15 x 15 word square. For example:
>
> TFEPBBDHUILEDSB
> IFEPABHHUXLVOWE
> RFEPCBRCUIPGEQE
> BFEPHBHEUIYAEWT
>
> Strictly no Java.
>
> Regards
> HJR
So are you suggesting the next challenge will be a table with words and
creating a stored procedure that writes out crossword puzzles. Hmmmm.
--
Daniel Morgan
http://www.outreach.washington.edu/ext/certificates/oad/oad_crs.asp
http://www.outreach.washington.edu/ext/certificates/aoa/aoa_crs.asp
damorgan_at_x.washington.edu
(replace 'x' with a 'u' to reply)
Received on Fri Mar 12 2004 - 16:55:36 CST
